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Reading: I so enjoy listening to your kids read. Our class this year is full of avid readers and it makes for a really fun teaching and learning environment. As I wrap up my leveling assessments to learn about where your children range on the reading continuum, I'll begin my weekly reading groups. During independent reading, I'll work with small groups on reading strategies and throughout the week they'll practice using their independent books. It's a much different world than when we were in school and we all read from a Basil text! Ask your readers about how many pages they should read in 20 minutes? (hint: 15 pages in 20 min, give or take). After they read at night (or the next morning), ask them who the characters are in their book. Where is it set? What is the conflict?Writing: We focused on setting, dialogue, and endings this week. As usual, we used mentor texts to learn new strategies to use in our own work. We'll start to wrap up our drafts and move into the revision process late next week. Ask your writers how Patricia Polacco ended the book Thank you, Mr. Falker. (hint: it was a circular ending and an emotional ending).
4th Grade Math: We wrapped up module 1 this week and the kids took their assessment on Thursday. They'll analyze their results and bring them home for you to see and sign on Monday. Our next unit is metrics measurement. Ask your kids the difference between mass, length, and capacity.
Social Studies: Hubbard Street starts on Monday during our Social Studies block, so we will be slow moving through our mapping skills. We look forward to a great dance partnership and will continue to learn about the features of various types of maps. Ask your kids to show you the map at the beginning of their assignment notebook. Point out places you or family have traveled or hope to travel.
Science: This week we did a "shake test" to learn about what makes rocks break apart. Next week we'll freeze water in a glass bottle to see what happens. Both models represent physical weathering. Ask your kids about the difference between conglomerate rocks and granite rocks.
Miscellaneous: Our Book Fair time is on Thursday morning. If your child wishes to purchases books, you can send money with him/ her on Thursday.
